Rectractable extension for the guiding rail of a climbing guard

ABSTRACT

The device for allowing a person to safely step off from and onto a climbing track on a roof edge, a roof slope, a shaft opening or similar, includes a guide rail ( 10 ) for guiding a catching device to which a person using the climbing path can be secured, and an extension piece ( 24 ) of the guide rail ( 10 ). The extension piece ( 24 ) of the guide rail ( 10 ) can be moved between a first and a second position, the extension piece ( 24 ) being so arranged in the first position that it does not project above the guide rail ( 10 ), and being aligned in longitudinal direction with the guide rail in the second position. The extension piece ( 24 ) can be guided displaceable along the guide rail ( 10 ) and at a distance from the latter and can be swivelled by 180° in the final position, which corresponds to the second position, so that it is in alignment with the extension ( 10 ).

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

1. Field of the Invention

The invention relates to a device for allowing a person to safely stepoff from and onto a climbing track when crossing onto a platform, theroof of a structure, a landing or when leaving or entering a shaft. Thedevice has a guide rail for guiding a catching device, onto which aperson negotiating the climbing track can be secured, and an extensionpiece of the guide rail at the top end of the guide rail.

2. Description of the Prior Art

The accident prevention regulations stipulate that for ladder endsagainst roof edges, roof slopes or shafts the ladder must project by 1m. A ladder with such a projection is known from DE-U-88 09 386. Theprojection or the extension is arranged swivellable about a verticalaxis at the top end of the ladder. This device is not suitable fordormer windows or shaft coverings, as the shaft covering or the skylightwould collide with the projection. For shaft coverings and skylights,the projection was housed separately up until now and attached to thetop of the ladder when being used.

OBJECTS AND SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The object of the invention is to create a device for safely steppingoff from a climbing track which is easy to operate and does not requirea ladder extension to be attached.

According to the invention this object is achieved in that the extensionof the guide rail can be moved between a first position and a secondposition, the extension piece being so arranged in the first positionthat it does not project significantly above the guide rail, and in thesecond position providing an aligned upward extension of the guide railin alignment with the latter.

Because the extension piece of the guide rail can be moved between twopositions, it is no longer necessary to store or to carry the extensionpiece separately.

The extension piece of the guide rail can be linked to the top end ofthe guide rail by means of a hinge. The arrangement is particularlyspace-saving if the extension piece is housed behind the guide rail in avertically moveable manner. In order to create a connection to the topend of the guide rail, the extension piece is preferably developed as ahinge swivellable about a vertical axis. When used, the extension pieceis firstly pulled or pushed up as far as a stop and then rotated by 180°about the vertical axis and then fitted onto the end of the securelymounted guide rail. By means of centering brackets on the top end of thesecurely attached guide rail, a mis alignment between the extensionpiece and the guide rail is prevented and a safe crossing of theconnection point with a catching device is guaranteed.

In order to bring the extension piece into the first or at-restposition, the extension piece is lifted, swivelled by 180° and thenlowered or retracted. In the first position, the extension piece isstowed behind the guide rail in an extremely space-saving way, i.e. ingeneral between the guide rail and the masonry, to which the guide railis attached.

The extension piece is preferably attached to a pipe which is arrangedvertically displaceable by two pairs of guide rolls and is rotatableabout its longitudinal axis.

The two pairs of guide rolls are preferably housed at the top end of thesecurely attached guide rails.

The device according to the invention is particularly suitable for usewith single-spar or central-spar ladders with fall-prevention means, asmeans known from DE-A-19 61 757. The pipe to which the extension pieceis attached can be housed parallel and at a small distance behind thecentral-spar by means of the guide rolls with such a central-sparladder.

An embodiment of the invention is explained in the following with thehelp of the diagram.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 the guide rail with the retracted extension piece;

FIG. 2 the guide rail with the deployed extension piece;

FIG. 3 the guide rail with the extension piece deployed and insertedinto the top end of the guide rail after a swivel movement of 180°; and

FIG. 4 a section 4—4 of FIG. 1.

In the embodiment shown in the diagram, a guide rail 10 is firmlysecured by means of brackets 12 to a structure B, for example the insidewall of a shaft. Treads 14 are attached to the rear of the guide rail 10at regular intervals. The guide rail 10 forms together with the treads14 a single-spar or central-spar ladder.

At the same time the guide rail 10 serves to guide a catching device notshown in the diagram, which together with the guide rail 10 is a part offall-prevention means as known from DE-A-19 61 757, DE-A-27 36 037 andEP-AP-0 168 021.

In the space between the guide rail 10 and the structure B a pipe 16 ishoused directly behind the guide rail 10 by two pairs of guide rolls 18,so that the pipe 16 is displaceable parallel to the guide rail 10, i.e.can be pulled upwards and retracted downwards. Each pair of guide rolls18 is mounted on a carrier plate 20, which is attached to the rear sideof the guide rail 10. The guide rolls 18 sit on journals 22, which arevertical to the guide rail 10 and the treads 14. The distance betweenthe guide rolls 18 of each pair is chosen so that the pipe 16 is heldbetween them with as little play as possible. The surface of the guiderolls 18 is matched to the circular periphery of the pipe 16. In thearea of movement of the pipe 16, the brackets 12 are attached laterallyin order to create space for the pipe 16.

An extension piece 24 is attached along the pipe 16 by means of spacers.The extension piece 24 is a section of the same profile rails as theguide rail 10. The length of the spacers 26 is so chosen that theextension piece 24 is the same distance from the pipe 16 in which thepipe 16 is housed behind the guide rail. If the pipe 16 is thereforerotated by 180° its longitudinal axis, then the extension piece 24aligns with the guide rail 10. Attached to the top end of the guide rail10 are centering brackets 28 into which the extension piece 24 can beinserted, so that a twisting of the extension piece 24 vis-a-vis theguide rail 10 is prevented and a catching device can safely cross theconnection point between the guide rail 10 and the extension piece 24.

The extension piece 24 does not extend along the entire length of thepipe 16. At the bottom end of the pipe 16 a length is free which issomewhat greater than the distance between the two pairs of guide rolls18, so that the pipe 16 is always held by both pairs of guide rolls 18when the extension piece 24 is connected to the top end of the guiderail 10. The extension piece 24 can project somewhat over the top end ofthe pipe 16 and a grip 30 is also provided at this point, which, forsimplicity's sake, can be shaped like a tread 14. Otherwise no furthertreads or grips are provided on the extension piece 24, as they wouldinterfere during the retraction of the pipe 16. In the retractedposition of the pipe 16, the grip 30 sits on the topmost guide rolls 18.Situated at the bottom end of the pipe 16 is a stop, not shown, whichprevents the pipe 16 from being completely pulled out.

The extension piece 24 can adopt two stable positions. In the firstposition it is retracted, the top end of the connection piece 24 andalso of the pipe 16 not, or only minimally, projecting over the top endof the guide rail 10. The extension piece 24 can be pulled upwards fromthis first position by the grip 30. In the process, the pipe 16 isguided through the guide rolls 18. The spacers 26 are so dimensionedthat, on the free side of the guide rolls 18, they can pass throughthese. If the extension piece 24 is completely pulled out, then it isswivelled by 180° with the pipe 16 about the longitudinal axis of thepipe 16 and is then fitted onto the top end of the guide rail 10 bymeans of the centering brackets 28. Between the guide rolls 18 and thepipe 16 there is sufficient play to be able to rotate the pipe 16between the guide rolls 18. In the second, extended position, theextension piece 24 projects by at least 1 m over the edge K of thestructure B. Depending on the application of the climbing guard system,anti-escape means are also provided at the top end of the guide rail 10and of the extension piece 24, which prevents the catching device guidedon the guide rail 10 and the extension piece 24 from inadvertently beingpulled out from the top ends.

If the described fall-prevention system is for example used for a sewershaft, then the extension piece 24 is pulled out after the opening ofthe shaft, swivelled by 180° and fitted onto the guide rail 10. Thecatching device is then fitted into the extension piece 24 at the topand the user can descend safely into the shaft.

What is claimed is:
 1. Device for allowing a person to step safely offand onto a climbing track on a roof edge, a roof slope, a shaft openingand the like, the device comprising: a guide rail for guiding a catchingdevice to which a person using the climbing track can be secured; and anextension piece of the guide rail, means connecting said extension pieceto said guide rail with their respective longitudinal axis intransversely spaced relationship, the extension piece being movablealong the guide rail between a first position and a second position anddoes not project above the guide rail in the first position and, in thesecond position, the extension piece pivots 180 degrees about a verticalaxis of the connecting means from the first position to the secondposition wherein its longitudinal axis is aligned with the longitudinalaxis of the guide rail.
 2. Device according to claim 1, wherein theconnecting means comprises a pipe, which runs on the rear of the guiderail between guide rolls and is rotatable about its longitudinal axis.3. Device according to claim 2, wherein the extension piece is attachedto the pipe by spacers and the guide rolls sit on journals which stickout to the rear from guide rails, the guide rolls not encompassing thecomplete periphery of the pipe so that the spacers can pass between theguide rolls.
 4. Device according to claim 1, wherein a grip is providedat the top end of the extension piece.